THE ULTIMATE BLESSING
Think about all that God has blessed you with in this life, and your mind may go through many things. Times when He has healed, delivered, enlightened, protected and watched over you and ones you love. I am sure that it makes you thankful as you think on what our God has done for you.
Ephesians 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:…”
Now, all spiritual blessings is really a great deal to be thankful for. God didn’t just bless us with some blessings, but with all spiritual blessings.
Roman 8:1, 2: “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
There is condemnation, a sentence of death, to them who walk after the flesh, those who are not free from the law of sin and death. We are all born with a sinful nature (see Romans 3), and condemned and our only way out is to confess Jesus as Lord and believe in our heart God raised him from the dead. At that moment we have salvation, eternal life, we are forgiven for all. What a great God of deliverance. He has delivered us from death and sin nature, and delivered to us eternal life.
I Thessalonians 1:9, 10: “For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”
Again God has blessed His own, His children, being saved from the wrath to come. We have all this because we are His sons, because we are born-again. We have eternal life, the greatest blessing of all which makes all else possible. What would all the deliverance, all the healing, all the blessings mean if it all ended with this life? Many people seem to have been very fortunate in their life. People from all walks of life have been delivered from death threatening sickness or injury, only to eventually die. Even the great King David of Israel, who God blessed in so many ways, looked to the hope of the coming Messiah and the resurrection of the dead.
Acts 2:25-27: “For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Because we have eternal life we can truly be thankful, and continue to look to the Coming One. We know that whether He comes today or in a thousand years we can be sure of God’s blessings for the rest of our time on earth and through all eternity.
And so when we read in chapter one of Ephesians and we see how much God has blessed us:
Verse 3 With all spiritual blessings -
Verse 4 We are chosen and Holy and without blame
Verse 5 Placed as sons – Verse 6 Accepted in the beloved
Verse 7 We have redemption and remission of sins -
Verse 9 Made known to us the mystery of His will
Verse 10 We are to be gathered in Christ -
Verse 11 We have an inheritance
Verse 12 To the praise of His glory -
Verse 13 We are sealed with holy spirit
All this and more, we can truly be thankful for knowing we have eternal life to enjoy with our Father in heaven.
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“PRAISE AND POWER” is an independent ministry of Betty Bowen. 2010 Brownstone Lane, Charlottesville, VA 22901. There is no charge for “Praise and Power.” It is supported by your gifts and your prayers. My prayer is that you will be edified as you apply the principles of God’s Word in a practical way in your life. 111709
